The discount chain Netto benefits from own counting centres

The deposit and return system in Germany is organised very differently from the systems in e.g. Scandinavia as no single enterprise has the exclusive right to collect and recycle used beverage containers.

This is an opportunity for the discount chain Netto. With shops in 11 German states and a sales volume of more than EUR 3.5 billion a year, Netto belongs to the top five food discounters in Germany. More than five million customers visit the 1200 shops each week and return vast quantities of used beverage containers.

Netto used to send its used beverage containers to external counting centres, but after preparing a cost-benefit analysis calculating the specific break-even point by self-counting and external counting respectively, Netto ordered its first counting centre with Anker Andersen HLZ high-speed counting machines in 2006. By the end of 2009, Netto will have fifteen counting centres with Anker Andersen machines.

By establishing its own counting centres, Netto is now able to handle everything in-house. In addition, Netto reaps the benefits of a fast deposit refund, complete control of own beverage containers and the possibility of an increase in raw material prices. Due to the current environmental debate, the reduction of transport costs also plays a part as it is a way of reducing the company’s CO2 emission.

Anker Andersen provides the establishment of own counting centres as all-inclusive solutions. Anker Andersen attends to all aspects, ranging from the installation to the maintenance of the HLZ high-speed counting machines, including supervision of the DPG certification process and staff training.

Customers have usually no experience in establishing a counting centre, and Anker Andersen’s know-how within automated machines and solutions for the recycling industry is therefore of great benefit. A spokesman from Netto’s headquarters made the following statement:

“We were very pleased to learn that Anker Andersen provides the complete solution and felt confident in the advice provided by all Anker Andersen’s employees”.